Scared Trail
by Christlove88
Summary: While out walking Fitz finds something shocking along the trail by the ravine. How do he, Owen, and Jake deal with the situation?


**A/N's: This is my very first fanfic.**

**I do not own Degrassi, because if I did Owen and Fitz would still be on and Owen would be dating Clare, and Adam would not be dead.**

**I thank Halawen for all the help and support for my very first story, and suggest anyone who hasn't read her stories to read them immediately. She totally inspired me to start writing :)**

**This happens in the summer after in the middle of season 11 between school years. Maya and Tristan will start at Degrassi in the fall, Clare and Jake are stepsiblings, and Jake has been dating Katie since the cabin and she broke up with Drew.**

**I also have no affiliation with Toronto Western hospital, I just needed the name.**

**Slight Trigger warning - just the aftermath, don't read if it could upset you**

**Scared Trail**

**(Fitz POV)**

It was a sunny, summer Saturday afternoon and I was walking along the trail that in the distance passed the main part of the ravine that had the van, and burnt out car backseat, and picnic tables. This is where I used to hang out with Owen and Bianca. But then I got sent to juvie, and focused on Clare, and found God. When I got out, Owen and Bianca had both turned their lives around, and I had no desire to return to my previous life as a ravine kid. Clare had accepted my apology for everything, and although Eli didn't like it, or really trust me, he did also. They hadn't gotten back together, but I hadn't tried to pursue Clare. She had asked for some space, and just wanted to be friends with both of us. I was a little disappointed but accepted this. Owen, Bianca and I are not as close as we previously were, but we we're gradually becoming friends again, but this time with cleaned up reputations and lives, and I'm becoming friends with their friends, like Drew.

I've been walking for about half an hour along this path, as I wanted some time just to think about my life, pray a little and this is where I come to get away from my stepbrother and can enjoy nature. I'm nearing the Degrassi school grounds when I hear some rustling in the bushes off the trail to my right. At first I think it's just an animal, and then I hear small whimpering and some crying. I walk off the path in the direction of the sound, and am shocked and almost sickened by the sight I discover.

I kneel down beside Clare, but she doesn't look like the Clare I know, with the short cinnamon coloured curls, the happy smile, the beautiful porcelain skin. No this girl's hair is matted with dirt, and her skin is dirty, she has bruises on her arms, her clothes are torn, and her skirt is pushed up around her stomach, and she doesn't appear to have panties. Its then I notice that she is lying in blood, and her legs have blood on them too. I won't leave her, and don't really want to move her, but I have to get her help, so I call the first person I can think of that would help me, and has a vehicle that can get her to a hospital.

I fish my phone from my pocket. "Hey, it's me. Can you please drive your car to the Degrassi parking lot and park as close as you can to the trail that heads by the ravine. It's kind of an emergency, and I can't explain over the phone, but please hurry." I say to Owen before I hang up. Clare hasn't said a word, but I also haven't tried talking to her. I can't believe someone would do harm to the sweetest, and most caring person I know.

About five minutes later I hear a car parking very close by, and then I hear Owen calling for me as he begins walking the trail. "Owen, I'm here, watch your step and be prepared, this is going to shock you," I tell him. Owen approaches from the trail, and I can see on his face the shock and horror he must be feeling, and he doesn't even know Clare very well.

"What the hell happened?" he asks, and I'm not quite sure what to tell him.

"I was walking along the trail thinking, and I heard rustling and then whimpering and came to check out the sounds, and found her like this. She hasn't said a word, and I haven't asked, but we have to get her to a hospital, and I don't have a car, so I called you. We need to get her checked out, can you help?" I ask in the quickest and probably shakiest voice I've ever had.

"Of course. Pick her up, being careful, and we'll take my car." Owen says.

I lean toward Clare, trying not to scare her too much. "Clare, it's me Mark," I tell her as she's the only one allowed to call me Mark. "I'm going to pick you up, and Owen and I will get you to a hospital. We'll be as gentle as we can okay?" She nods her head slightly, and its then I notice a small gash mark along her neck. I pick her up carefully, and she curls into me and holds onto my shirt like a safety blanket. I notice both her eyes are closed so I can't see her beautiful ocean blue eyes.

As Owen and I are walking back toward his car, Clare says something that I almost don't hear. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you Clare." I say as I stop walking.

"Maya?" she questions louder, and I'm confused. "Hey Owen, do you know a Maya? Clare just said the name," I ask my friend, who has stopped and turned to look at us now.

"Maya, that's my brother Tristan's best friend," he says, and then whispers "and the girl I like," thinking no one can hear him but I do.

This worries me. "Clare, what about Maya?" I asked getting slightly panicked.

She doesn't say anything else, but let's go of my shirt for a moment and points back to where we were but on the left side of the trail. Owen sees this and he begins searching the forest for any sign of her. He suddenly picks up a black converse shoe, and then a few more steps into the brush must have found who he was searching for as he calls out "Damn it!" in a panic, and picks up a small framed girl and carries her toward Clare and I. From where I am, I can see her hair is matted with dirt, and she's bleeding, has bruises on her arms and is unconscious.

"We have to hurry," Owen says as he passes us carrying the young girl with him. I know his brother Tristan is 14, so I figure Maya would be the same age, and yet right now she looks like she's about 9.

We get to the car and Owen suggests that he drive, and I sit in the back between each of the girls so I can keep an eye on them. Maya is still unconscious leaning on me, and Clare whimpers as she still clings to me, but none of us say a word. We could have called an ambulance, but I was afraid of how long that would have taken, and that given my reputation, I may have been suspected, and I can't deal with juvie again. Owen drives fast and careful, and we arrive at the Toronto Western emergency doors extremely fast, although it felt like it took forever. Owen leaves the car running, and comes to the left side back door to pick up Maya. He waited, while I got out, and could get around the other side to pick up Clare. We both rushed in with the girls in our arms, and called that they needed to be checked out immediately.

Nurses, and a doctor rushed toward us, and reluctantly we put both girls on hospital beds. "I have to go move the car, you stay with them," Owen commanded, but I knew he was just worried.

"Of course dude." I called to him as he headed toward the doors again. I walked with both girls as far as I could.

"You need to wait out here sir, someone will come out to talk to you when we know anything. There is a waiting room you and your friend can sit in just down the hall there. Can you tell us their names?" a nurse asks, as the girls are pushed through the main doors.

"The older girl with the cinnamon curls is Clare Edwards, and the younger one is her friend Maya, I don't know her last name." I answer begrudgingly.

The nurse then turns to follow the girls and the doctors, while I go to the waiting room as Owen returns. "What do we do now? I don't really want to deal with Clare's mom, and I doubt she does either. But we should call someone." I say as I sit down on a chair in the waiting room. Owen sits beside me, and leans his head on his hand which is positioned on his knee.

"Her step-brother Jake is 18, he could sign for Clare instead of her mom, and either he or his girlfriend Katie could sign for Maya. Katie is Maya's older sister," he suggests. Then he gets out his phone, and calls Drew asking for Jake's number. After getting off with Drew, Owen calls Jake I figure out as he begins talking.

"Jake, its Owen, I can't really explain but I need you and Katie, if she's with you, to meet me down at Toronto Western Hospital in the emergency ward, it's extremely important."

After a very short conversation, Owen hangs up, and tells me, "Jake is on his way, but he said he wasn't with Katie." We both sit, but don't say much for a long time, until Jake comes into the waiting room and walks straight to us.

"Ok Owen, what's the emergency, we're not exactly friends, and how'd you get my number?" he questions, and then continues. "What's going on?" he says and then looks over at me too.

"Jake, you're gonna want to sit down for this." Owen tells him, and Jake sits down by us.

"I was out for a walk to get away from my stepbrother and clear my head this afternoon, on the trail between Degrassi and the ravine, and I found Clare lying to the right off the trail a bit. She was conscious and whimpering. She had bruises on her arms, and her clothes were torn and some were removed, her left cheek was swollen, she had a gash across her neck, and her legs were covered in blood, and she was lying in a pool of it." I get out, before I have to stop talking to breathe. I look at Jake again, as I said all that facing the floor, and he looks as shocked and horrified as Owen did when he first saw her, and Jake hasn't even seen Clare yet. But I also see a protectiveness in his face too. "I called Owen cause I don't have a vehicle and he came to pick us up, as I didn't want to wait for an ambulance."

Jake sits there for a moment, still kind of stunned. "How in the world could this happen?" he leaps up and yells into the empty room, scaring all three of us a little. He wipes his hands down his face, and then turns to Owen and I as he sits back down calming down a bit. "So I understand why you're both here, and I thank you for bringing my sister to the hospital, but Owen, why did you ask about Katie? Although, yes she'd be worried about Clare, she doesn't need to be here," he points out.

Owen takes a deep breath. "Well, after I met up with Fitz and we were walking to my car, Clare said Maya, and pointed back to where we had found her but the other side of the trail, so I searched along the trail, and I found Maya with bruises and unconscious in a pool of blood, so we brought both girls here, but didn't want to get into dealing with their parents so we called you hoping that because you and Katie are 18 you two could sign for both girls."

"Katie's gonna be devastated when I have to tell her about Maya," he pauses, "have you heard anything about either of them yet?" he asks trying to stay calm.

"No the doctor hasn't come back yet," I tell him, hoping that it isn't much longer.

"It's probably good you didn't call Clare's mom. I'm praying this didn't happen to either of them, and I wasn't around at the time, but Clare's older sister Darcy was raped and Helen didn't handle it well." Jake tells us, and we are both scared for Clare and Maya, and just sit here shocked. "Darcy was on a Degrassi ski trip at a party, her drink was drugged, and she was raped. She believed she was drunk and just had sex with her boyfriend, but she had a purity ring at the time like Clare. As time went on she remembered parts of the rape, and acted out, including accusing Mr. Simpson of harassment, and eventually going up to the roof and attempting suicide. She didn't jump, but struggled with her anger for a long time."

"What happened to her?" Owen asks for the both of us. "I don't remember Clare having a sister."

"Helen and Randall, didn't take it well, and had she gotten pregnant would have made her marry her boyfriend Peter, but as she didn't, they sent her to Africa to help build schools to make up for her mistakes and behaviour. They weren't supportive of her at all. She decided to stay there after the first year to join the Peace Corp and help people in the small villages, and so she wouldn't have to deal with her mom again. I know Clare misses her, and I haven't seen her since before she became my sister."

"WOW," is all I can manage as a reply, and this just makes me worry about Clare even more. Just then the doctor comes into the room toward us.

"I'm Doctor Dear, you're the boys that brought in Clare and Maya, correct?" he asks, and we nod. "Have their parents been contacted yet?" the three of us look at each other, before Jake speaks up.

"Their parents are away this weekend, they were in my care. They said they were just going out for a walk," he gets out quietly. "How are they doctor?" he then asks nervously, and none of us are really looking forward to any answer we are given.

"Well," the doctor pauses, "Clare is awake and responding non-verbally, but refuses to talk, except to say 'ow,' or whimper, so I know she is capable of it. She has a shallow cut across her neck that due to the location, we were unable to stitch, but she has gauze and bandages over it to keep it clean and help it heal. She has many bruises on her arms and legs. She also has 2 cracked ribs which we have taped up already. But the main part is we had to do a rape kit. We also did a pregnancy and STI test as a precaution. We don't have the results back yet though." We all just gape, hoping, me silently praying, that it was all just a precaution and she wasn't raped. "Maya, is still unconscious. She has a nasty bump on her head, but we did a CT scan and it doesn't appear that there is swelling, so she should recover fine soon from the bump. She doesn't have cracked ribs, but does have two bruises, one on each arm, but there is severe bruising on her legs, and we had to do a rape kit on her also. We also did the pregnancy and STI tests as a precaution. Again the results aren't back yet. You boys can go into see the girls, but they need to rest. We'll be keeping them overnight at least."

We follow the doctor, and he walks us to the door of one room, and then tells us, "As they are both recovering at the moment, we were able to put them in a room together, but you'll have to be quiet when you're in there." We follow the doctor in and see Clare curled up in a ball in her bed. I walk to her and brush a curl behind her ear, and I can hear her crying. As I sit down next to Clare, I notice Jake go to the other side of her bed, as Owen's walks past us to see Maya, lying still in her hospital bed. As soon as I'm sitting in the chair next to Clare, she grabs my hand with one of hers, while she grabs my shirt with the other. I look at Jake and then the doctor, as Clare pulls me closer to her. The doctor nods, so I follow Clare's lead and sit on the bed with her. As soon as I'm next to her, her crying becomes more hysterical as she clings to me with one hand bunched up in my shirt and the other around my side. I put both my arms around her stroking a hand up and down her back and kiss the top of her head.

"Clare," the doctor says, "can you tell us what happened to you?" he asks looking at her. She just cries harder, and shrinks into me even further, and I didn't even realize this was possible. Owen has turned around to look at us. The doctor looks up at us now, and says, "I'm going to go check on their test results, and will be back soon. If you have questions, Maya wakes up or something happens, press the call button, and someone will be in." Then he leaves the room.

"Clare, you're safe, we're not going to leave you," says Jake sitting on the other side of Clare's bed, but she just continues to cling to me, although her crying has calmed slightly. I now see Owen has turned back to Maya and sat down beside her, holding her hand.

It isn't long before the doctor returns. He notices how hysterical Clare still is, and how she's holding on to me, and I understand as he only motions for Jake and Owen to follow him to the hall not wanting to upset her more. They are only gone for a few minutes, and although I don't know what exactly was said, I can see from the looks in all their eyes, that it isn't good. I look at Owen, and he mouths 'both raped, not pregnant' to me, and my stomach drops thinking of what Clare and Maya could have possibly been through, but relieved they are not pregnant. Then I am reminded of what Jake told us, and I worry about both or either of the girls dealing with this type of trauma.

"Can we stay with them tonight?" I ask the doctor as I look down at Clare and then back up at him, hoping he understands that I don't think she's letting go any time soon.

"That's fine, I think they need the three of you right now, and we're not releasing either of them until at least tomorrow, and Maya has to wake up first so we know there is no brain damage. I'll have beds sent in for you three. I'll be off in an hour, but Dr. Sterling will be appraised of the situation, and if you need anything press the call button," he says, looks between us and then turns to go.

"I'll call Drew and see if he can pick us up some dinner from Little Miss Steaks. I'll make sure he doesn't say anything for now." Owen tells us as he walks toward the door. Since he's gone, Jake sits down and grabs Maya's hand.

Owen comes back a few minutes later and tells us, "Drew will be here in about 20 minutes, and he promised not to say anything to anyone, but he was kinda worried when I told him where we were."

"I guess I should go call Katie, and let her know what's going on," Jake says getting up so Owen can have the chair back, and takes Maya's hand as he sits again. While Jake is out making his phone call, I hear movement, and realizing it's not Clare I look over and see that Maya is beginning to stir. I watch as she wakes up and sees Owen and the elated smile she gets on her face at the sight of him. But what shocks us both is that as soon as she smiles, her arms are around his neck and she kisses him sweetly. He stands shocked with his arms on either side of her, but moves to hugging her after a moment. It's short, but the smiles on both their faces when she lets go are huge. But she doesn't let go of his hand, and pulls him to sit on the bed with her. I notice Jake watching from the doorway as Owen sits down beside Maya, and he walks back in the room.

"I'm so glad you're awake Maya," he says as he smiles at her, "but I couldn't get a hold of Katie," he tells us as he looks between Owen and I, before he returns to sitting in between the two beds. Owen presses the call button, and the doctor comes in a few minutes later, and sees Maya is awake and curled up, holding onto Owen.

"I'm glad to see you've woken up Maya. I need to check your head and your vitals," he says as he approaches her and Owen. They sit up so the doctor can check Maya's head and eyes, but she never once lets go of Owen, and when the doctor asks her questions she non-verbally answers just like Clare. When he's done the doctor steps back but continues to look at us, before saying, "well Maya appears to be doing well, and there are no signs of concussion. It does worry me some that both girls refuse to speak, but that may have to do with what they've been through. Continue trying to get them to talk, but don't push it. We'll check on each of them once more in the morning, and if everything looks alright you can take them home in the afternoon. Press the call button, if you need anything." He then turns and walks to the door, going out as Drew walks in holding the food he brought.

"Jeez, what the hell happened?" he questions loudly, as he nearly drops the bag of food, but as the room is so silent, this only further scares Clare who holds onto me tighter. I continue to hold her, and stroke my hand up her arm, as I try to calm her down. I notice Owen is now sitting behind Maya holding her as she burrows further into him. Drew can only see some of the bruises and marks and would be appalled if he had seen what we saw when we found the girls.

"Dude, you need to stay quiet, their terrified," I tell him in a harsh but somewhat quiet tone, "but thank you for bringing us some food," I say in a softer voice, as I continue hugging Clare.

"Sorry, but what happened?" he asks calmly looking at all of us.

The three of us tell him what we know about finding Clare, and then Maya, and bringing them in. When Owen goes into a bit more detail about how he found Maya, it shocks even me again. We tell him how neither of the girls has said anything since they've been here, and then we get to the part about the rape kits. As soon as we say they were both positive, both girls begin crying and trembling again. Maya had been calm when she woke up and even smiled and kissed Owen, so this is the first I've seen her cry, but as Clare had calmed down mostly, her crying gets worse again. But we are able to ease all of their minds a little when we say the pregnancy tests were negative.

The girls remain silent, and eventually fall asleep, while the four of us guys talk and eat the dinner Drew brought us. Even with Maya and Clare in our arms, Owen and I are able to eat alright. This goes on for about another hour, and then a nurse come in.

"Visiting hours are over now, so anyone who doesn't have the permission from Doctor Dear to stay needs to leave now," she tells us, and Drew stands up, and throws out the trash from dinner.

"I'll be back in the morning with breakfast, and I won't say anything about this," he tells us, and says bye, before he walks out.

"I've been asked to have beds sent to this room. Do each of you want one, or do the two of you want to stay where you are?" the nurse asks looking at Owen and I. We look at each other, and then the girls in our arms, as the girls are both asleep and still clinging to us.

I look up her and answer, "I don't think they'll be letting us go, so it's probably best we just stay put, but Jake will need a bed," I point out.

"Alright, I'll send one up soon," she says before leaving the room again. It's about 10 minutes before two orderlies role a bed in and set it up for Jake. They leave, but he stays in the chair for a while, as none of us are all that tired yet. We talk and get to know each other better. We also discuss what to do when the girls are released tomorrow.

About half an hour later Jake has laid down in his bed, and Owen and I are able to move slightly to make ourselves and the girls a little more comfortable as we lay down to sleep in the hospital beds for the night. Clare breathing on my chest, and the sound of the monitors lulls me to sleep fairly quickly.

I'm woken up in the morning, by the sound of the door and footsteps. I look up and see Drew carrying in breakfast from the Dot. He stays quiet noticing that Clare is still asleep in my arms, as he doesn't want to scare her again. I then look over and notice that Jake, Owen and Maya are all already awake. And Owen is sitting up with Maya still curled into him. We don't say much, but we begin eating breakfast together, and Clare wakes up part way through. "Clare you need to eat something, as neither you or Maya had dinner with us last night." I tell her, getting her to eat half a bagel.

"We were talking last night, and thought maybe it would be good if we took the girls back to my place when they get released today, so they are together, and we can look after them, as I don't think they will be letting us go anytime soon, and Clare doesn't have to deal with her mom just yet," Owen says out loud mostly to Drew, but so Maya and Clare hear him too. I notice Clare nod just slightly and look at Owen who smiles when Maya nods also. Still neither girl will speak, but I'm hoping we can get them to speak when we get them back to Owen's house.

We finish eating and Doctor Dear comes in. "Hey Drew, if Jake and I give you our house keys," Owen says pulling the key off his key ring and looking at Jake, "can you go to my house and grab clothes for Fitz and I, and then go to Jake's house and grab clothes for he and the girls to change into when they're released please. My parents aren't home, no worries," Owen says handing Drew his key as Jake gets his off the key ring and hands it to Drew also.

"My dad and Clare's mom went away this weekend, so they aren't home either. I'd do it myself but I promised them I wouldn't leave, and want to hear what the doctor says," Jake tells him.

"No problem, I'll be back soon." Drew says, and then gets up, smiles at us all and walks out.

The doctor has been looking over the girl's charts while we've been talking, but looks up at us once Drew has left the room. "Well I'm glad you both got a good amount of sleep last night. That is very important. We have given you each blood to replace what you lost, and have done what else we can here. I would like to look at Maya's head once more before we release you though. Can you sit up please Maya," the doctor asks her. She still clings to Owen, but he helps her to sit up so the doctor can see her eyes, and then the back of her head. When the doctor finishes Owen leans back on the bed, and Maya uses his chest as a pillow again.

"Well it seems it is just a bump Maya, and I will ok a release, but someone must stay with you for the next two days, and if you pass out at all, you must be brought straight back in immediately."

He then moves over to stand by Clare and checks her eyes, and then her throat. "The bandages on Clare's throat must be changed every two days for the next week and then left open so it can heal properly. I will send a nurse in to change them once more before you are released, and to demonstrate how to change them," he says. "I assume you three will be looking after them when they are released?" he asks, and we all nod. "Because of your cracked ribs Clare, you can't be doing too much moving around, but some walking everyday is important," he says as he looks down making a note on the chart, then looks up again.

"I was hoping I would have heard you girls talking by now, but I will leave that up these young men, and hope they can get you talking, and can find out exactly what happened. As they wouldn't speak," the doctor says looking at us, "we didn't inform the authorities, but they will need to be informed very soon. Also, I would like to see them both back here in a week to check how everything is progressing," the doctor says and then steps towards the door. "I'll have a nurse come in to change that bandage, and with a cream we can send you home with to help with the bruises, and I'll have their release papers started," he tells us before he leaves.

As I've been lying in this hospital bed since yesterday afternoon with Clare in my arms I have to get up, stretch and use the bathroom. I don't know how she will react, but she can't cling to me forever as much as I'd like her to. I look at Jake to get him to come over. "Clare," I start, "I have to go to the bathroom, but I'll only be gone for a few minutes, and Jake is right here with you." Jake understands and sits on the bed on the other side of her. I feel her nod slightly, and reluctantly let go, looking up at me with tear filled eyes. I kiss her temple, and then get up, and as soon as I'm up, she's backed up towards Jake who puts his arm around her.

I try to be as quick as I can, and when I open the bathroom door to leave I see Drew has returned. I walk back over to Clare and Jake, and as soon as I'm within arm's reach she grabs my hand again. Jake kisses her head and gets up as I sit down with her, and she curls into me again. Drew hands Owen and Jake back their keys, and is about to speak when a nurse walks in.

"I need to change the bandages on your throat Clare," she says walking towards us. "I assume you all want to watch how to properly change the bandages?" the nurse asks looking at all of us. We nod, and Jake and Drew move closer, which makes Clare cling to me a little stronger. As I'm still sitting next to her, I put a protective arm around her further, but get her to sit up so the nurse can do her job. As Owen still has Maya in his arms he can't really get closer. "I'll show you when they need to be changed next," I mention, and he nods as the nurse begins.

As the nurse finishes, she hands myself and Jake each a bottle of muscle relaxer and tells us it can be used on the bruises. She then unhooks Clare and then Maya from their IVs before telling us to get ready and the release papers will be ready shortly, before leaving the room.

As Drew was nice enough to grab us all clothes, we decide we should get changed. Jake goes to change in the bathroom first. While he's in there I realize that given how scared Clare is and how much she's clinging to me, I don't think leaving her is again is a good idea. I look at Owen who appears to have the same thought about Maya. "Hey Drew, can you pass me mine and Clare's clothes please," I request. He looks at me with protectiveness and concern on his face. I guess with Clare being Adam's best friend he feels protective of her, but then he relaxes his face understanding my reasoning. He passes me the clothes as Jake comes out. I take Clare into the bathroom to help her get dressed. She's fearful and nervous but she won't let go of me. I then sit her on the counter and quickly get changed too. When we come out Owen does the same with Maya.

After we are all changed the nurse brings in the release papers and Jake signs out both girls. We get down to the parking lot, and Jake and Drew have decided that Jake will drive his truck with Clare and I, and Drew will drive Owen's car with Owen and Maya, and then Jake and Drew will come back to pick up Drew's car. I sit in the back with Clare in my arms again, until we arrive at the Milligan house. Owen carries Maya and I carry in Clare, and the two of sit with the girls curled up in our laps on the couch in the living room when we get in. Jake and Drew sit down, one in the recliner, and one on the love seat. I guess they want to stick around for a while and hope the girls will start talking soon. I hope so too.

We sit in silence for a little while, and then I open my mouth hoping I don't startle Clare. "Clare, can you tell us what happened before I found you yesterday?" I ask softly holding her hand. Her tears lightly begin again, and I'm afraid she'll close up more, but to my surprise she opens her mouth and takes a shuddering breath.

"I...," she begins before pausing and taking another deep breath. This is the first time I've heard her speak since she led us to finding Maya yesterday, and her voice is very soft. "Maya and I were walking across the Degrassi parking lot together, near the trail entrance. We were talking and then suddenly we were grabbed. There were 2 guys holding each of us, but we both tried to fight, and kick, but our mouths had been covered so we couldn't scream," she tells us, and I see Maya nod. I'm sure if they had screamed I would have heard them.

"They carried us to about the spots you found us," Maya begins and we look at her now. Her voice is soft but really pretty. This is the first I've heard her speak. "I was frightened, but tried to watch Clare as she seemed so strong. I hoped I could be that strong, and tried to kick but they were holding me too tight," she tells us and looks at the bruises on her arms. I see Owen's arms tighten around her a little.

"Actually Maya I was terrified, but I was trying to be strong. I could see how scared you were and I wanted to be able to protect us both if I could. But the next thing I saw across the trail was the one guy knock Maya's head against a tree and she went unconscious," Clare says sadly, and looks over at her friend. I see shock on the other guy's faces, and Maya rubbing the bump on her head, and I'm sure my face shows shock also. "I wanted to be able to protect Maya, and get her some help, but then the guys gagged me. I tried to put up a hell of a fight, and got my arm up enough to elbow the guy behind me in the mouth I think," she says with a small smile, and causes us to smile too, but her smile then fades immediately. "But that just made him madder. He held down one of my arms, and the guy in front of me punched me in the ribs and knocked the wind out of me, before backhanding me, then he held down my other arm while he sat on my legs. The guy behind me then put a knife to my throat after putting it in front of my face so I could see what he had. It was some kind of hunting knife," she tells us, and now we know why she has cracked ribs and swollen cheek.

Maya sits in shock as this is all new to her also, and begins to tear up. "It was then that I knew not to fight anymore. I couldn't see Maya as I was lying on my back, being held down, but I could hear the sounds of the guys with her, and just started crying. I realized as the first guy got off my panties, and fingered me for a moment, that I would lose my virginity the same way my sister did. It was then that the first guy…," she pauses, "I screamed and cried, but I couldn't move. It hurt like hell, but all I could do was cry, and as my screams were muffled by the gag, they were fruitless. It wasn't long and then the two guys holding me switched places. The second guy thrust in before I even realized it, and again it was very painful," we all sit in shock as I hold her tightly. Maya is crying now thinking about what she and Clare went through and she didn't even realize it. Jake and Drew have moved closer to sit near us. "He was finished pretty quickly, and I knew I was bleeding. I hoped that was it and they'd just leave me be, but instead the guys with Maya switched places with these guys and it happened twice more," Clare whispers, and then looks at Maya. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you Maya. Believe me I wanted to, and would have if I could have, I didn't want that to happen to you," she says, and they are both crying now.

"Clare, I'm sure Maya knows you tried," Jake begins looking up at Maya now, "you were both in a terrible and scary situation that should never have happened. You can't feel guilty that you weren't able to do more to protect Maya, you were trying to stay alive for you, and that's all we could ask," Jake says stroking her leg.

"Jake's right Clare, please don't feel guilty. It's their fault, not yours. You have no reason to feel guilty, I understand," Maya tells her and then leans out of Owen's grasp to give Clare a hug.

"Thanks Maya," Clare smiles. "When the last two were finished they untied the gag, and got up walking away and laughing. They all laughed as they left us there broken, and dirty and without our virginity," Clare tells us. She then curls into me again.

All I can do is hold her, and look at the other guys. We all sit there with shocked and sickened expressions. I've been through a lot in my life, but nothing like having my virginity stolen by being gangbang raped by four guys that then just laughed as they left me. Then something occurs to me. "Clare, you are gorgeous and beautiful. You are aren't broken or dirty, you are perfect. Nothing those guys could have done to you can mar that. And you are still a virgin. They couldn't take that away from you. When it is your choice to make love to the right guy, then that will change, but that wasn't yesterday," I tell her and kiss her temple again. I silently think about my faith, and realize that although Clare has struggled with hers since her parent's divorce, that it is something we could both use right now.

"The same goes for you Maya," Owen tells her as he smiles at her. "You are perfect, and I don't know if this is the right time or the absolute worst time, but I like you Maya. I have for a while, and when I saw you yesterday by the trail I was heartbroken that I might lose you without ever being able to tell you. I was shocked when you kissed me after waking up but I loved it," he says still smiling, and I can see the wide eyes, and huge smile on Maya's face.

"I like you too Owen. When I woke up and it was you I saw and not any of the guys that grabbed me I was shocked and relieved, and wanted to kiss you in case I didn't get another chance. I didn't really think you'd like me, but wanted to try it while I had the chance," she then hugs him tightly and he does the same.

We all smile, including Clare, at the sight, but are very happy for them both. "Clare, do you know who any of the guys were?" I ask her, as she saw them more than Maya did.

"They were about Jake's age, and looked familiar, like I'd seen them at a sports game or multi-school event, but they don't go to Degrassi, and I don't know their names," she says as the smile begins to fade.

"Clare, why did you cling to me so hard, and refuse to talk to the doctor?" I ask her.

"Well…" she begins, "after everything that happened I was scared, and so to know that you were the one to find me I didn't want to let you go. I was afraid it was a dream, and if I let go or spoke I would wake up and still be trapped," she confesses to us. Then she takes a deep breath, "I know I asked if we could just be friends, but I had been thinking about coming to talk to you recently, and had decided to come talk to you about that after my walk with Maya when I was grabbed," she tells me. I'm shocked into silence again.

"You really like me?" I question, and feel stupid for asking it.

"Yes," she smiles timidly, looking up with her ocean blue eyes, through beautiful lashes. "I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship yet, after everything, but I also don't want to lose you Mark," she says taking my hand.

"You're not going to lose me Beautiful, and we'll go at your pace. You tell me if things are too much, or when you're ready for more." I tell her and hug her as tightly as I can without hurting her cracked ribs.

When I look at our group again, I see Owen, and Drew smiling, but Jake has a pensive look. "What's the matter Jake?" I question cautiously. He is Clare's stepbrother after all.

"I guess I'm worried about having to tell Katie what happened to Maya, and that now she's dating Owen, or I assume you're dating," he says looking up with a smirk. They look at each other, and then look back at him both nodding. This makes him smile. "And I'm worried about how Helen and my dad will react," he apprehensively looks at Clare and I.

"I guess that's just something we'll have to deal with," Clare says taking his and my hands. I smile at her and nod. "But will you promise, that if my mom tries to send me to somewhere like Haiti or Chad, that you'll stop her?" she asks with a smirk at her stepbrother, and then back at me.

"We all will," Owen states with a determined voice at her, and we all laugh, except for Maya and Drew. Clare and Jake then spend the next half an hour telling us all more about their older sister, and the details of that. Not long after Drew and Jake, with permission from Clare and Maya, go pick up Drew's car from the hospital, and Drew heads home. While they were gone we started a movie, and ordered pizza for dinner as none of us were in the mood for cooking. When Jake gets back we begin a second movie. While he was out, Jake picked up clothes and pajamas for himself and some of Clare's stuff for the girls. Owen and I both wear some of his stuff, and we all change and get ready for bed.

After brushing my teeth, I return and Jake is laying on the love seat in Owen's living room, and I see Owen lay down behind Maya on the other side of the queen-sized pull out couch that she and Clare are already laying on. The girls are in the middle facing each other, and I lay down behind Clare. We are all smiling. Just before I close my eyes, I pull my phone from the pocket of my jeans on the floor.

"Hey man, can you and your partner do Owen and I a huge favour, by going to the trail that runs between Degrassi and the ravine. Take your DNA analysis kit with you, and look for a puddle of blood on either side just off from the trail not too far in from the parking lot. A tree on the left might have some blood on it too. Please let us know what you come up with. It's really important to us and our girls." I look at Owen as I say 'our girls' and we both have huge smiles on our faces. I hang up, put the phone back on the floor, lie down and softly turn Clare's head. We kiss on the lips for the first time, and its sweet but filled with love, I then pull away smiling and we all close our eyes. We'll protect them, I promise myself and them silently, as I fall asleep with a smile.


End file.
